


Malboros and Christmas Lights

by DapperSquid



Series: AU One Shots [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Angst, Christmas Eve, Darkish Humor, F/F, Fluffy, Homelessness, Hurt/Comfort, Regina's a Mom, Running Away, Underage Drinking, Underage Smoking, Young Emma, brief mentions of abuse, teenage Emma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-22
Updated: 2019-12-22
Packaged: 2021-03-09 10:27:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,601
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21894505
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DapperSquid/pseuds/DapperSquid
Summary: It had been a year since Emma Swan had run away from the group home she lived in for three years. While overwhelmed with past demons Emma turns to a familiar coping mechanism. However, she is interrupted by an unfamiliar brunette.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills & Emma Swan, Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Series: AU One Shots [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1577152
Comments: 5
Kudos: 125





	Malboros and Christmas Lights

**Author's Note:**

> I take requests for SwanQueen Oneshot prompts  
Have a Merry Christmas/Hannukah or whatever you celebrate this time of year! :D

Smoke puffed up into the smog-filled sky, mingling with the illuminated fog as Emma Swan sat at a park bench under a street lamp. It was around ten pm, and the biting Boston winter had started to set in earlier than usual, turning her nose red and her lips blue. The teen didn't feel the frigid air, however, having been warmed by a now half-empty bottle of Jack Daniels and four Malboros. Emma's too-small boots scuffed against the cracked pavement of the park as she took another long drag of her cigarette. As the Malboro started to widdle down to the butt, she sighed and flicked it over with the growing pile. She wasn't supposed to be out here, it was nine degrees, and the park was closed, no, she should be in her car trying to find a parking-garage to crash in for the night. Insomnia had already dug its cruel talons into the blonde's eyelids for the past couple of nights, however, leaving her too tired to sleep. She always was around this time of year. It was December 24th, and where everyone was out with their families or friends, she had no one but a flickering street lamp for company.

The group home would be passing out extra food around this time, their one effort to make the kids in their care feel the holiday spirit. Emma remembered how kids would get into fights over the extra dinner; one year, it got so bad the adults sent everyone to bed without supper. Emma had laid awake all night, feeling the hunger in her stomach gnaw away at her until she snuck out into the kitchens to steal the uneaten meal. A lady had caught her and boxed her on the ears so hard she heard ringing for ten minutes after. That was the night she had gotten sick of the systems bullshit and decided to leave for good. She had been almost ready to age out of foster care anyways, having been seventeen at the time. Emma still remembered that night; the snow had been up to her calf, soaking her jeans and worn out converse. Her glasses fogged over as she buried her face in her flimsy jacket, forcing her to take them off. Eventually, the blonde had gotten so cold she almost went insane trying to find a warm place to spend the night. She settled for stealing a yellow bug that had been outside of an apartment complex. Emma grimaced at the memory as she went to take a swig of cheap booze. 

"You look a bit young to be drowning your sorrows on Christmas Eve." Emma looked up to see a stunning brunette staring down at her with a quirked brow. Her face was a mixture of concern and disapproval as she sat down next to the blonde. 

"Yeah and you look a bit old to be out after eight, isn't it past your bedtime," she shot back at the older woman. The brunette appeared unfazed by the brash comment, however, neatly folding her gloved hands in her lap.

"I could say the same to you, girl, what are you like fifteen?" the woman replied, tilting her head with a smirk.

"Eighteen," Emma corrected, narrowing her eyes in annoyance.

"So clearly not old enough to have this then," the brunette replied, taking the bottle of Jack Daniels from her, "or this," she added, snatching the box of Malboros.

"What the fuck, bitch, those are mine!" she fired back, drunken rage starting to set in. Who did this lady think she was? Emma was an adult. She could decide whether she wanted to drink or not without having some random woman police her. The teen went to snatch the bottle back only to have the stranger stand up and step away. Being shitfaced, the aggravated girl lost her balance and almost fell off the bench. 

"If your coordination is any indication, I would say you have had enough," the olive-skinned woman commented, throwing the box and the booze into a trash can nearby. Emma opened her mouth then closed it again as her face turned red from fury. She wanted to throttle this woman, to punch her directly in her stupid gorgeous face until she agreed to buy her more cigarettes and alcohol. Those had been hard to smuggle from the local 7/11. She had to flirt with a greasy middle-aged man to obtain them. The girl went opened her mouth for the fourth time, fully prepared to scream herself hoarse at this bitch when the woman simply sat back down next to her.

"What are you doing out here drinking anyways?" 

Emma narrowed her eyes, "Excuse me?" She snarled, clenching her fists.

The woman rolled her eyes, "It's zero degrees, ten pm, and Christmas Eve, shouldn't you be inside somewhere drinking cocoa with your family?" 

Emma tensed her jaw, "Not everyone has people to go to celebrate with, lady," she fired back. "And why do you care anyway, 's none of your business?" 

Instead of the pity or sad expression, she was used to receiving, the woman just chuckled, "Trust me, I know, why else would I be out here talking to a random eighteen-year-old? I saw you from my apartment across the street and got concerned after I saw you in the same spot forty minutes later."

It was her turn to raise her brow, "You can't be serious, how does a bitchin' woman like you not have some handsome eye candy to spend her night with?" She asked. 

The older woman chuckled at that, "Men are too needy for my taste," she explained. Emma huffed a laugh in agreement. 

"Well, you don't need to worry 'bout me I was just about to head to my car and turn in for the night. So, you can go back to your apartment now," she said, turning away from the woman. 

"Excuse my bluntness, Miss..." the woman trailed off.

"Emma Swan."

The woman nodded, "... Miss Swan, but anyone would be worried at the sight of a haggard girl drinking herself half to death in at ten o'clock on Christmas Eve," She pointed out. " I would be a horrible person if I didn't at least attempt to reach out."

Emma furrowed her, brows, "Why?" 

"Because I care, Miss Swan," She replied in a voice so tender the teen felt her lip starting to quiver. 

"Why?" she repeated, her voice shaking slightly.

"You remind me of when I was your age- minus the drinking and smoking. I had the same sad look in my eyes that you have in yours, and I find that I would not be able to live with myself if I left you here to throw your life away."

Emma felt her eyes starting to burn as she grit her teeth, "I don't need your pity, and I certainly don't need you to mother me. I am a grown woman who gets to decide what I do with my life, I don't need a random stranger telling me everything wrong with me," she yelled, voice quivering as tears gathered in her eyes. Fuck this woman, and fuck this Godforsaken holiday and everything it stood for. Emma Swan stood to storm off towards the parking lot when a gentle hand grabbed hers. 

"You're right, you don't need my pity, and you don't need me to mother you. However, I suspect you have gone for quite some time without anyone caring enough to keep you in line," she gently took Emma's chin in her hand and tilted it up so that she was looking at her. "And no matter how much it seems like it, eighteen is too young to face the world alone." 

Emma's lip started to quiver again, as she pulled away from the woman's grasp and collapsed onto the park bench. "This is fucking insane," she spat with no real venom in her voice. "I don't even know your name."

"It's Regina Mills," she answered gently, sitting down beside her. "Now, Miss Swan, let's go," Regina continued, dusting off her black peacoat before extending her hand towards Emma.

The younger woman, "Where?" She asked, accepting the hand hesitantly before being helped up.

"You're far too drunk to be out here alone, plus it's below zero at this point, you'll freeze to death out here," Regina explained. "Now put these on," she continued while taking her scarf and gloves off before extending them to to the teen. 

Emma opened her mouth to protest but shut it quickly after receiving a stern glare from the woman. She put the winter wear on, and let out a sigh of relief as warmth encased her numb hands. Regina chuckled and put her hands in her pockets before starting to walk towards her apartment building. Emma hesitated for a moment before following. "Where are we going?" She asked, stumbling to keep up with the older woman in her drunken state.

The brunette took notice of her struggle and wrapped her arm around the girl's back before answering, "To my apartment."

Emma grinned, "Moving a bit fast aren't we?" She drawled playfully.

Regina raised an eyebrow, "You're a bit young for my taste, Dear," she replied. Emma poked her lip out in a pout but leaned into the woman's side further. Regina chuckled at the girl's antics and squeezed her closer before kissing her cheek. She smelled the alcohol wafting from Emma and grimaced. "A bit drunk too." 

"C'mon you can't be that much older."

"I'm 32, Emma," she answered. 

"Age is just a number," she said with another lopsided grin.

Regina narrowed her eyes. Emma threw up her hands in surrender, "Kidding, totally kidding, chill Gina." 

"Don't call me that."

"Aw, what? I thought we were bonding," the blonde crossed her arms as she followed Regina through the entrance of the apartment building. 

"I find that flirting with teenagers is not my ideal bonding exercise, Miss Swan," the woman replied as she pressed the elevator button for the tenth floor. 

"Would it be weird if I said I was relieved by the fact that you don't go around flirting with eighteen-year-olds?" she asked. Regina just chuckled. The two sat in comfortable silence as the elevator quietly dinged and slid open. The woman slid her arm back around the teen's waist once more. Emma gasped as she opened the door to her apartment. 

"Holy shit, Gina. What do you do for a living?" She asked, walking into the spacious living room.

"I'm an attorney," she answered, taking off her coat and hanging it from a hook on the wall. Emma whistled in approval. "Take your shoes off you may be drunk but that is no excuse to act like an animal," Regina ordered, slipping off her own heeled boots. Emma stuck her tongue out but unlaced her combat boots and took them off on the mat before taking her coat, scarf, and gloves off as well. 

"Give me one moment, Emma," Regina called as she walked down the hall into what Emma assumed to be her bedroom. She came back a few moments later with a pair of the softest looking pajama's the teen had ever seen. "The bathroom is down the hall to the left. There are spare toothbrushes in the medicine cabinet, and you are welcome to use the shower," the attorney explained. 

"Thank you, for everything. I probably would have been passed out on a curb by now if it weren't for you," Emma said, taking the clothes gently.

Regina smiled and kissed the girl's cheek yet again, "Anytime, Dear," she answered before walking over to the kitchen area. Emma grinned and placed a hand over the spot she kissed before walking towards the bathroom. While the blonde was in the shower, the brunette quickly whipped up dinner, assuming that her guest hadn't had anything besides the bottle of whiskey. She clucked her tongue in disapproval at the thought as she set out a leftover slice of lasagna she had made earlier that evening. She usually hated Christmas Eve, hell, she hated December in general. The cheery lights and happy families were just a harsh reminder of her severed relationship with her mother and sister. Yet, she found herself with a warm feeling in her chest that hadn't been there for a long time. Something about Emma Swan clicked with Regina because, despite the young woman's delinquent behavior and rude words, she found herself caring for the girl. The moment she had laid eyes on the blonde she had felt as if she had known Emma her entire life, her expression on her drunken face had been all too familiar. Being that it was a face Regina often wore on long nights as she lay in a too-big bed in a too empty apartment. She wasn't an idiot, she knew that the moment she left the teenager alone, Emma would just spend the night in the clunky old car Regina had spotted in the parking lot. The brunette couldn't stomach the image no matter how much she tried. 

Emma walked out of the bathroom, clad in black silk pajamas and a damp braid. "That was the best shower I've ever had," she said blissfully, grinning. 

"I'm sure, now eat up, I suspect you didn't have much to eat before draining that bottle," Regina said, pointing to the pasta dish. Emma's smile grew and her eyes gleamed with unshed emotion as she looked down at the lasagna. "Are you okay, Emma?" 

"Yeah, sorry Gina, it's just that I can't remember the last time anyone ever cooked anything for me," the younger woman explained, sitting at the table and taking a small bite of the meal before letting out a happy groan. "Jesus fuck that's amazing."

"Eloquently said, dear," the brunette replied with a chuckle. "And you know that you could always have more meals if you want."

"What'd you mean?" The blonde mumbled from around her fork.

"I mean that you can stay here, with me. I have the room and money so it wouldn't be a problem," Regina said a hopeful smile on her face.

Emma's eyes widened as she dropped her fork to onto the table," I couldn't, Regina that would be too much to ask. You just met me and I'm more trouble than I'm worth," she insisted quickly. 

Regina placed a hand over the blonde's own, "Miss Swan, I assure you I wouldn't have asked if I thought you would be too much trouble," she reassured her. "Also, it might be nice to have another person around for once."

Emma looked at her hesitantly, "You're sure?"

"Positive." Emma let out a sob and threw her arms around the brunette, thanking her over and over. Regina just laughed lightly and wrapped her arms around the girl, stroking her damp head while placing a kiss on her forehead. 

"Now come on, let's get you to bed." Emma nodded, exhaustion starting to set in for the first time in two days as she was led to the guest room- which had been bigger than the room she had shared with five other girls in the group home. She climbed into bed, almost groaning as the soft material enveloped her body. "It's been so long since I've slept in an actual bed," she sighed happily. Regina smiled and squeezed the girl's hand in response.

"Get some sleep, Miss Swan." 

The next morning, Emma woke up to find an apartment key on her nightstand with a note that read: **Merry Christmas, Emma, and welcome home. - R **

**Author's Note:**

> I take requests for SwanQueen Oneshot prompts  
Have a Merry Christmas/Hannukah or whatever you celebrate this time of year! :D


End file.
